Find stuttering resources at local libraries

There are planty of resources in the Capital District to help families affected by disfluency.

“Stuttering: For Kids by Kids” is a DVD available at most public libraries in the region, including those in Saratoga Springs, Stillwater and Halfmoon.

The DVD, made available through the 65-year-old Stuttering Foundation, introduces kids who stutter and have had to deal with teasing and speaking out in class.

“All those interested in helping kids learn more about stuttering will want to see this tape,” said Bill Murphy, a speech language pathologist at Purdue University, in a statement.

The main character, Swish, narrates, and children in grades one through 12 talk about how they deal with their stuttering. Arianne, age 14, talks about getting through the stutter when you’re stuck, and Umang, age 12, shares his fears of what people might think when he begins to stutter.

For kids who have never met someone else who stutters, this video will shed light on the fact that they are not alone.

At one time, experts used to believe that paying attention to a child’s stuttering would exacerbate the situation. It was feared that therapy would, “arouse the child’s awareness and cause more stuttering,” said Ehud Yairi, speech-language pathologist at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and Tel-Aviv University.

Yairi, who is the author of “The Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research,” said that is no longer the case, and if a parent notices a child beginning to stutter, they should seek help right away. One such resource can be found at a number of public libraries, including those in Bethlehem and Guilderland. The book “If your Child Stutters: A Guide for Parents,” answers a lot of the questions that parents and teachers first have. Written by leading experts and produced by, the book describes the differences between normal disfluencies and stuttering, while sharing tips for parents on helping their child immediately.

“Any time parents are concerned about a child’s fluency, they should educate themselves about the disorder and the many ways they can work to prevent stuttering from becoming a chronic problem,” said Jane Frasier, president of the Stuttering Foundation, in a statement.